Detector Saturation
Full well capacity, dynamic range with ADC quantization noise, SNR at saturation, and a nonlinearity roll-off.
Dynamic range = 72.04 dB (read noise only)
Dynamic range with ADC = 71.71 dB (floor √(σ_read² + Δ²/12) = 5.195 e⁻)
SNR at FWC = 43.00 dB (shot + read + quantization noise)
Max DN = 4095 | Conversion gain Δ = 4.884 e⁻/DN
DR = 20·log₁₀(FWC / σ_floor); response S·(1 − n·S/FWC) up to full well, flat above
Model and references
Textbook approximation. A standard approximation from the literature (for example paraxial, plane-wave or Gaussian-beam), valid within the range the page states. About the tiers
Dynamic range and SNR at full well from shot, read and quantization noise Δ/√12, with the ADC's full scale set to the full well. The response curve is illustrative: one parameter n bends it as S·(1 − n·S/FWC), so the error grows as S² and reaches −n of full scale at full well, then the output stays flat. Real roll-off depends on the pixel and its readout chain.
- Janesick J. R. (2007). Photon Transfer: DN → λ. SPIE Press. Full well, linearity, quantization noise and dynamic range. doi:10.1117/3.725073